NEW ULM — Hockey season for the New Ulm Steel Tier III does not begin until August 2 when players begin to trickle in to New Ulm to meet their host families.

But Steel General Manager and head coach Alex North has begun to build his 2022 roster with the signing of five players, who North signed early.

They include forwards Charlie Ashton from Tartan High School, Mac Gordon of Woodbury High School and Tyler Sampson, who played last season in the United States Premiere Hockey League with the Rum River Mallards of Isanti, Minnesota.

Also signing was defensemen Jackson Heim and Charlie Kielty from Rochester Lourdes High School.

“We were happy to get all of them signed,” North said Friday. “These are all players that I went and did some scouting on. Every one of them had multiple offers, but they chose to come here. I am pretty happy with these players who have been signed.”

North said that Charlie Ashton was the leading scorer on the Tartan High School hockey team last season.

“Jackson (Heim) and Charlie (Kielty) were both high-end defensemen at Rochester Lourdes,” North said. “Mac Gordon was Woodbury’s second leading scorer last year. And Tyler Sampson played in Hudson, Wisconsin with Zach Maret, who is a current player for the Steel.”

North said that the Steel will have three goalies back from last season but also said that he is looking at a potential younger goalie.

“He would be someone we could work with [for the future] and I will be looking at all them when I go to Chippewa’s camps coming up.”

Chippewa Falls is the Steel’s parent North American Hockey League team.

North said that every player he signs makes the team better this year with a big group of returning players coming back.

“We have added some depth defensively and got a couple of players who will be top-end forwards. We have strengthened every positon so far, which I wanted to do.”

North added that the team’s stability this season will allow the team to keep growing.

North said that currently the Steel is doing a lot of “off-ice” things.

“We just got new lockers and we are doing a sponsor locker campaign that Karen (Haala Business Manager and Director of Marketing for the Steel) is spearheading. We are pretty excited about that. It is an example of ownership investing in the players. We will be better because of that.”

Also, even though it is May, the Steel and Karen Haala are looking for volunteers for this coming season’s home games.

Needed are people to help with merchandise sales, ticket sales, goal judges, people to man the penalty box and other game-day duties. Volunteers receive free game-day tickets and Steel staff merchandise to wear at the games.

In addition, if interested in being a host (billet) family for a Steel player next year you can contact Karen Haala for more information on that.

Billet families are reimbursed $375 a month which is set by the league.

You can contact Karen Haala at 507-276-2063.